One Beat At A Time
by Lillith Evans
Summary: "Tsukimi." He's looking straight at her and saying her name, pretty much like he always does but this time there's an edge of desperation to it. A tone of plea, like he's begging to be put out of his misery and for the life of her Tsukimi can't imagine ever being able to have such a power on Kuranosuke-san's emotions.


"Tsukimi."

He's looking straight at her and saying her name, pretty much like he always does but this time there's an edge of desperation to it. A tone of plea, like he's begging to be put out of his misery and for the life of her Tsukimi can't imagine ever being able to have such a power on Kuranosuke-san's emotions.

She's a pain, she knows that. She isn't sure why Kuranosuke-san's bothered with helping her or the rest of the Amars, she knows he's happy doing it but she also knows that he probably wishes he was happy doing something else…it'd be less pain. It'd make more sense. With the Amars its always a fight before there's any movement because they're so set in their ways and he screams change from the very coding of his DNA.

He's everything she's scared of really…but he's also so horribly fascinating and beautiful. From his thin, slender legs to his long swan like neck- every part of him screams ideal. Whether he's dressed as a boy or as a girl for Tsukimi all she sees is his perfection. Most times nowadays she's distracted by other things, but times like this when there's no seamstresses bustling around them, and no one else in her bedroom but them- she remembers how much she adores him.

With his brother it's something different because even if he's beyond her, Onii-san is still within reach somehow – because Kuranosuke-san is just so otherworldly from everything he says to everything he makes her feel.

He's the person who has managed to make her change her life. He saw value in her where everyone else mocked her. He's a little bit like a guardian angel…but she knows using that simile is a little foolish, even for her.

"Tsukimi."

He's saying it again. He's moved a little closer to her from the bed. He's stood up. She's leaning against the door. Today Kuranosuke-san hasn't dressed up, today if anything he looks rather plain compared to what she's used to seeing him in. Gone are the frills of taffeta and yards of pattern he usually comes in, he's in a pair of jeans and some shirt that says One OK Rock, probably for some band she doesn't know. She knows this is just a temporary disguise with him, because even without a shred of clothing he can astound her. Like that first day, when she woke up to see him half-naked in front of her, everything about him screamed god.

Everything about her screamed commoner. "Tsukimi," His voice is like a whisper now, but it hasn't lost any of its demanding edge but she's petrified staring at his clear eyes. They look stormy, darker than she's used to seeing- it's a little disarming because she ends up letting out a squeal that stops his motions towards her.

He's not doing anything. He's just standing right in front of her…but to her it feels unreasonably close because even with one more step forward his whole body would be flush up against hers and she can hardly imagine what that would feel like…it'd be something out of a dream or a story. In fact the only reason she knows she isn't dreaming all of this now is because she can feel her heart frantically screaming at her, hammering away in her chest like the mere sound of Kuranosuke voice saying her name is sealing something inside that she'll never be able to take out. Lumps are forming in her throat.

"Tsukimi please say something…I just told you I liked you." He sounds kind but all Tsukimi can manage is to stare up at him vulnerably. Kuranosuke-san looks a little sorry for her, of course he would because she had no experience with things like this. No one ever liked her not that way- sure people had passively liked her as friends but few had taken the time to bother to understand her the way he had it would be shameful for her to try and misunderstand him today.

Normally when he said things like _'You're cute Tsukimi' _or _'I want to spend time with you Tsukimi' _it's easy for her mind to transform what he's saying into something else because that makes more sense but when he's being so upfront she can't assume he's talking about rocks, or that he means as a friend because-

That's not fair to Kuranosuke-san. "I-"He looks so relieved but unfortunately she doesn't know what to say after that. It's all she can manage. It's less a referral to her self in a manner of speech and more a sound she's making simply because he requested it of her. He's so expecting of her, his eyes are so wide and round and curious and he doesn't look like he belongs here with her. That's what people will keep saying, they'll pity him, they'll wonder what horrible thing she has over him for him to spend time with her - they probably already do.

"Tsukimi-" He's saying it again.

"I'm sorry." She screams out and he backs up off her because Kuranosuke-san has always treated her gently, he's always thrust her into situations she's not comfortable with but he's always gentle when he's speaking with her or telling her about things she's ignorant about. When she glances up at him again this time he's looking at her differently. Logically she knows her words sound like a rejection, and indeed even if she doesn't really mean them that way it's just a way for her to push him away. To put his feelings into a storage container that doesn't really need to be opened again.

But Kuranosuke-san sees through that because he's smirking when he says his next words. "I'm sorry too." He's not really apologizing…just warning her. He rushes forward and pulls her wrist. Before she knows what's happened she's turned to stone in his arms. His body is locked around hers. His face is buried in her neck and he's breathing heavily. His heart beat is steady against her chest, slowly breaking through the stone, making her body less rigid and more under her control – he's doing what he's always doing. He's making her want to change the way she is- because her arms are reaching up and crossing over his slim waist. "I'm going to do this sometimes, okay?" She wants to squeal and get away because her brain is screaming at her that is absolutely unacceptable and what will this look like to the Amars- but his heart is still beating against hers and it's the most serene hug she's ever experienced. "When no one's around…and there's just the two of us Tsukimi I'm going to hold you sometimes." She should hit him away, scream, shriek for Mayaya-san and Chieko-san, if they saw Kuranosuke like this- she was sure they would realize he was a man. "Is that okay?"

Because the way he was looking at her right now was so filled to the brim with desire, love and care that it was making Tsukimi choke on her own emotions when his eyes locked onto hers, unrelenting, inquisitive, with that touch of desperate that made her realize how serious he was. Still somehow, her mouth opened, her throat expanded and a soft whisper escaped her lips. "Okay." What else could she say? He knows what to say to get his way. He always has.

She didn't know what she felt. She didn't know how to respond to him because right now, Kuranosuke-san had awakened all of these feelings in her she had a drive to succeed, a passion to see Amamizu-kan live on, an infatuation with his older brother, a dream within her Jellyfish obsession but for him-

Her guardian angel who was asking her for an answer- she didn't know what she felt…but she wanted to know. She wanted to give him a name in her life. She wanted him to be more than a friend, more than a partner in Jellyfish, she wanted him to be there with her forever because without him she was still scared.

She just wasn't sure what she wanted him to be more of.

This time when he hugged her tightly, she let herself hug him back tentatively and there it was again…that small sign that told her this was all okay.

The steady beat of his heart, matching up perfectly in time with hers as they held onto each other.

**A/N: I wrote this when I realized that we don't really get enough skinship. I'm scared Tsukimi is a little OOC but w.e. I don't want her running away just because the guy is hugging her...this is probably placed right before Shuu and her go on the date. It's a fictional scene in that time frame that never really happens :( but god I wish it did. **

**P.S. Does anyone else see Tegoshi Yuya as Kuranosuke? Because I seriously keep envisioning the guy. Someone get with me? **

**P.P.S Hope you all enjoyed it :D! **

**Lilli**


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